Doctors say Redford key to resolving contract standoff

Bryan Weismiller and AMANDA STEPHENSON, Calgary Herald03.15.2013

Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Michael Giuffre has opened the door for Premier Alison Redford to step into the ongoing contract dispute between the provincial doctors’ group and the Tory government.

The contract dispute between doctors and the province intensified on the weekend, with the Alberta Medical Association calling for Premier Alison Redford to wade into negotiations and two local physicians saying cuts could prompt them to exit the province’s public health-care system.

AMA president Dr. Michael Giuffre said Saturday a “fresh start” is needed as the government tries to secure a new compensation deal for the province’s nearly 8,000 physicians. He suggested Redford, who helped teachers reach a four-year deal on Friday, take the reins from Health Minister Fred Horne.

“If (Horne) cannot lead the way, then I think he should hand off to someone who can,” Giuffre told reporters Saturday after the AMA’s semi-annual forum wrapped up in Calgary.

The AMA says the province’s recent hold-the-line provincial budget translates to an average 22.5 per cent reduction in doctors’ take-home pay and benefits over a five-year period.

Giuffre acknowledged some belt-tightening is needed in the wake of a large budget deficit, but added Alberta’s burgeoning population already has physicians spread thin. He said the growing strain has medical school students questioning whether they should practise in Alberta, part-timers eyeing new jobs in the United States in light of Obamacare, and older doctors feeling they should just hang up their stethoscopes.

Calgary family doctor Martin Breton and his wife, psychiatrist Marion Perpick-Breton, told the Herald they may have to leave public practice if the government doesn’t change its stance. The couple said overhead costs at their shared clinic are high, and a drastic cut to take-home pay could force Perpick-Breton to switch to more lucrative private practice. Another alternative would be to leave Alberta altogether.

“As much as I love my patients, I have to provide for my family, even if that means going to another province,” Breton said.

“The minister’s trying very hard to tell the public, ‘This will cost you nothing,’ ” Perpick-Breton said. “But make no mistake, Albertans are going to lose doctors.”

Horne reiterated Saturday that total doctors’ compensation has been frozen at $3.4 billion so the AMA should submit a proposal on how to divvy up the funds. He said Alberta will still spend 20 per cent more than the national average on health, and doctors are still paid 14 per cent more than their Canadian colleagues on average.

He took issue with Giuffre’s characterization of Alberta as “the most anti-physician province in the country.”

“I couldn’t disagree more with that comment,” Horne said. “This is a destination for physicians.”

Horne also said he doesn’t believe sidestepping the health ministry would be helpful for negotiations.

“We have mechanisms for negotiations,” he said. “What’s called for, quite frankly, is leadership on both sides. That includes the Alberta Medical Association.”

Giuffre said the doctors plan to further outline their position in the next couple days through an advertisement campaign. But he ruled out short-term labour action, such as one-day office shutdowns or virtual strikes, for now.

While both parties repeatedly stressed the doors are staying open for business, only the doctors’ group considered asking for the premier’s help moving forward.

The Redford government reached a tentative agreement with 40,000 Alberta teachers on Friday, which had high-ranking Tories expressing hope the deal would become a blueprint for negotiations with doctors, nurses and civil servants.

The AMA balked at suggestions the teachers’ agreement paves the road to labour peace, arguing physicians are small business owners who are saddled with overhead costs, unlike other groups seeking new deals.

On Saturday, Giuffre asked for the “same consideration” as the teachers and extended an invitation to the premier to discuss the government’s fiscal position at the negotiating table.

“We would like to see if that helps move us forward like it obviously did with the teachers,” he said.

The premier’s office did not comment when contacted on the weekend.

bweismiller@calgaryherald.com

astephenson@calgaryherald.com

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